Granagh/Ballingarry GAA Club Notes:

Granagh/Ballingarry GAA Club Notes:

One Point Extra Time Win First Final Spot For Granagh-Ballingarry:
Limerick County Intermediate Hurling Championship Semi-final
Granagh-Ballingarry…………2-31
Murroe-Boher…….3-27
A strong all round team performance coupled with 0-20 by Seán O’Connor (6 play, 13 frees, 1 65) 1-2 by 2013 Limerick Munster winning captain Donal O’Grady in extra-time and a couple of top class saves by keeper Denis O’Connor paved the way for a thrilling one point, 2-31 to 3-27 victory for Granagh-Ballingarry after extra time over unlucky Murroe-Boher at Fedamore on Saturday afternoon to qualify for their first Limerick County Intermediate Hurling Championship since they defeated Glenroe 4-10 to 3-10 in the 2005 decider against 2021 and 2022 defeated finalists neighbours and great rivals Croagh-Kilfinny on Sunday 29th October at Paddy Carroll Park, Ballyagran, at 3pm.
John Sexton of Bruree took charge of this thrilling 63 score County Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-final on an excellent pitch in front of a big crowd, who gave great support to their side. Murroe-Boher with the wind at their backs made all the early running with a trio of white flags in as many minutes from open play through Brian O’Keeffe, Sean Tobin and Aaron Kennedy. A couple of wides were exchanged before points were traded by Sean O’Connor (free) on 5 minutes and Aaron Kennedy (play) on 6 minutes, Michael Russell (play) on 7 minutes and Sean Tobin (free) on 8 minutes, Michael Russell (play) on 9 minutes and Aaron Kennedy (free) a minute later to leave it 0-6 to 0-3 in favour of Murroe-Boher on 10 minutes. Then Seán O’Connor of Granagh-Ballingarry split the uprights from open play on 12 minutes before points were traded by Cathal O’Keeffe from open play on 14 minutes and Aaron Kennedy from a placed ball a minute later to leave two between the sides, Murroe-Boher 0-7, Granagh-Ballingarry 0-5 at the end of the final quarter. Then on 17 minutes Paudie Murphy finished past Murroe-Boher keeper Killian Quaid before a pair of white flags from open play for Murroe-Boher courtesy of Michael Ryan on 18 minutes and Sean Tobin a minute later to leave one between the sides, Murroe-Boher 0-9, Granagh-Ballingarry 1-5 on 19 minutes. Then white flags were traded by Seán O’Connor (free) on 20 minutes and Aaron Kennedy (free) on 21 minutes, Seán O’Connor (play) on 22 minutes and Aaron Kennedy (free) on 23 minutes before four unanswered white flags for the Murroe-Boher boys, courtesy of Mike Ryan (play) on 24 minutes, Aaron Kennedy (2 frees) on 25 and 27 minutes and Sean Tobin (play) two minutes later to leave five between the sides, Murroe-Boher 0-15, Granagh-Ballingarry 1-7 on 29 minutes. Then white flags were traded by Seán O’Connor from a placed ball on 30 minutes and Brian O’Keeffe from open play one minute into added time to send the Murroe-Boher boys in at the interval still leading by five, 0-16 to 1-8.
Granagh-Ballingarry with the wind at their backs dominated the opening four minutes after the interval with four unanswered white flags through Jack Cagney (play) before Aaron Kennedy opened the Murroe-Boher boys’ second half account when he split the uprights from a placed ball to leave the Murroe-Boher boys two ahead, 0-17 to 1-12 on 35 minutes. Four minutes later after inaccurate shooting by both sides white flags were traded from placed balls by Sean O’Connor on 39 minutes and Aaron Kennedy 40 minutes before four unanswered white flags for the Granagh-Ballingarry boys in as many minutes through Seán O’Connor from a placed ball, Jack Cagney, Luke Flynn and Cathal O’Keeffe from open play to leave the black and greens two ahead, 1-17 to 0-18 on 44 minutes. Then a long delivery out of defence by Murroe-Boher No. 6 Darragh Kennedy was collected by Mikey Ryan who laid off to Seán Tobin to finish past Granagh-Ballingarry keeper Denis O’Connor to leave the east Limerick side one ahead, 1-18 to 1-17 at the end of the third quarter. Seán O’Connor made the sides level at 1-18 each when he split the uprights from open play on 47 minutes before white flags were traded by Sean O’Connor from a placed ball on 49 minutes and Aaron Kennedy from a 65 on 50 minutes to leave the sides again level at 1-19 each. Then Mike Ryan gave the Murroe-Boher boys a threepoint advantage, when he finished past Granagh-Ballingarry keeper Denis O’Connor on 52 minutes before white flags were traded by Sean O’Connor from a placed ball on 53 minutes and Mike Ryan from open play on 54 minutes, Sean O’Connor from a placed ball on 55 minutes and Brian O’Keeffe from open play a minute later to leave three still between the sides, Murroe-Boher 2-21, Granagh-Ballingarry 1-21 on 56 minutes. The final four minutes plus belonged to Granagh-Ballingarry No. l 10 Sean O’Connor white, a trio of white flags from placed balls to leave the sides level Granagh-Ballingarry 1-24, Murroe-Boher 2-21 at the final whistle to take this thrilling Limerick County Intermediate Hurling Championship final to extra time.
Extra time
The opening nine minutes of the first period of extra time was tit for tat with white flags traded by Aaron Kennedy from a 65 and Sean O’Connor from open play, substitute Donal O’Grady from open play and Sean Tobin from open play, Sean Tobin and Sean O’Connor from placed ball before Aaron Kennedy landed his second white flags from a 65 on 10 minutes to send the Murroe-Boher boys in at the break leading by one, 2-25 to 1-27 after playing with wind advantage. Aaron Kennedy with his third white flag from a 65 in the opening minute of the second period of extra time extended the Murroe boys’ advantage to two, 2-26 to 1-27. The Granagh-Ballingarry boys with the wind at their backs dominated the next 7 minutes with a Sean O’Connor white flag from a 65, 1-1 by substitute Donal O’Grady and a point each from open play by Sean O’Connor to bring his personal tally to 0-20 (6 play, 13 frees, 1 65) and Cathal O’Keeffe to leave the boys from Knockfierna five ahead, 2-31 to 2-26 with two minutes remaining. The final few minutes belonged to Aaron Kennedy of Murroe-Boher who raised a white flag from open play and a green flag from a placed ball to bring his personal tally for the game to 1-15 (3 play, 1-8 frees, 4 65s) which was too little too late for the Granagh-Ballingarry boys at the final whistle. At the end of extra-time the boys in black and green were one point 2-31 to 3-27 if only just winners to qualify for their Limerick County Intermediate Hurling Championship Final since they defeated Glenroe 4-10 to 3-10 in the 3-10 in the 2005 decider at Fitzgerald Park, Kilmallock, against neighbours and great rivals Croagh-Kilfinny on Sunday 29th October in Paddy Carroll Park, Ballyagran at 3pm.
The Granagh-Ballingarry boys were delighted to have made it through to the final after suffering narrow defeats at the semi-final stage to eventual winners Effin in 2021 and Na Piarsaigh in 2022 and Murroe-Boher were gutted to have lost by a point in extra time but were very sporting in defeat and wished the Granagh-Ballingarry boys the best of luck in the final against neighbours Croagh-Kilfinny. Well done to both sides on a thrilling hard fought 63 score contest to the Fedamore club officials for having the pitch in top class condition despite the heavy rain of the previous days and to referee Mike Sexton for his handling of the game, who also took charge of the first semi-final played yearly in the day between Croagh-Kilfinny and Hospital-Herbertstown in Ballyagran. Granagh-Ballingarry scored 2-17 from play, 0-13 from frees and 0-1 from a 65. Murroe-Boher scored 2-13 from play, 0-10 from frees and 0-4 from 65.
Granagh-Ballingarry: Denis O’Connor, Eoin Casey, John Kealy, Brian Sheehy, Colm Noonan, Jack Cagney 0-2, David Condron, captain, Josh Quille Mulcair, Darragh Casey, Michael Russell 0-3, Cathal O’Keeffe 0-3, Sean O’Connor 0-20, 13 frees, 1 65), Paudie Murphy 1-0, Luke Flynn 0-1, Damien O’Donovan. Subs used Ronan Mullane, Thomas O’Donovan, Donal O’Grady 1-2, Pat Carroll.
Murroe-Boher: Killian Quaid, Ewan Sheridan, Cillian Byrnes, Liam Quaid, Eoghan Burke, Darragh Kennedy, Jack Nicholas, Mark Nicholas, Michael Ryan( 1-1), David Hickey, Brian O’Keeffe (0-3), Paudie McNamara, Mikey Ryan (1-2), Sean Tobin (1-5, 0-2 frees), Aaron Kennedy (1-15, 1-8 frees, 0-4 65). Sub used: Ross Kennedy.
Referee: John Sexton, Bruree.

Results:
County Intermediate Hurling Championship Semi Finals: Croagh/Kilfinny 2-17, Hospital/Herbertstown 0-13; Granagh/Ballingarry 2-31, Murroe/Boher 3-27.
County Intermediate Hurling Championship Relegation Final: Feohanagh/Castlemahon 1-16, Knockaderry 0-19 – Feohanagh/Castlemahon won 3-1 on penalties.

County Senior Scor Final:
16 teams took part in the Limerick County Senior Scor question time final at Mungret/St. Paul’s GAA Clubhouse on Thursday night. The Granagh/Ballingarry team of Stephen Stapleton, Jimmy Chawke, and Pat Herlihy did very well to finish sixth, narrowly behind winners Na Piarsaigh, Mungret/St. Paul’s GAA, Mungret/St. Paul’s Ladies Football, Kildimo/Pallaskenry and Banogue. On Saturday night in solo singing Johnny O’Riordan sung very well. Thank you to our Scór officer, Maura Friel-Lynch, Stephen, Jimmy, Pat, Seamus and Johnny for representing our club with pride in Senior Scór 2023.

October County Club Draw:
The next Limerick County GAA Club Draw is on Saturday 28th October with a top prize of €10,000. There are a host of other prizes to be won, 2nd €3,000, 3rd €2,000, 4th €1,000, 5th exclusive prize of €500 voucher, 6th to 9th €500, 10th to 13th €300, 14th to 30th €200. Granagh/Ballingarry had 117 members in the September draw and three winners to date – Claire Herlihy €3,000 in August, Niamh O’Keeffe and Brian Burke €300 each in September. If you would like to still renew your membership please follow the links limerickgaa.ieclub-limerick-draw-sign up and select Granagh/Ballingarry GAA Club and the number of draws you wish to sign up for. You can also contact the Granagh/Ballingarry Club co-ordinator Stephen Stapleton on (086) 1960301. Note all new members for the next draw must be in by Wednesday 25th October at 12 noon.

Limerick GAA Health and Wellbeing Seminar:
The Limerick GAA Health and Wellbeing committee reaffirms the World Health Organisation’s view that ‘Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’. The committee is dedicated to promoting health and wellbeing within our membership, clubs and communities. We are excited to announce that we are holding a Health and Wellbeing seminar which will take place tonight Wednesday 18th October at the Woodlands House Hotel, Adare. The seminar will cover a range of talks on healthy clubs, critical incident plans, diversity and inclusion, mental health and drug awareness. This seminar is free and the Liam MacCarthy Cup and Spirit Masters Football Cup will be on display on the night. All are welcome to attend.

1973 Keeping the Dream Alive:
The Story of Limerick’s Historic All Ireland hurling Success, 50 Years Ago
This book which costs €30 has been in production since January to commemorate and celebrate the wonderful achievement of the victorious and fondly remembered Limerick hurling team of 1973. It contains over 500 pages packed with original archive material plus a host of rare photographs, many of which have never been seen before until now. The book will be launched on Sunday 5th November at Fitzgerald’s Woodlands House Hotel, Adare at 6pm. The profits from this book will be shared between two most deserving charities, the Children’s Ark University Hospital, Limerick and the Limerick Society of St. Vincent de Paul. For more information contact James Lundon (085) 1436727, Liam O’Brien (087) 7557898 or Niall Deegan (087) 7789120.

Club Gear:
Granagh/Ballingary GAA Club’s tops, hoodies, tracksuits, jackets, shorts and socks can now be ordered online at www.larochasporgts.ie product-category/clubs/granagh/ballingarry
Pre-Purchase of Club Hurling and Football Championship Tickets
All Granagh/Ballingarry supporters please note that the upcoming hurling and football club championship games, under the auspices of Limerick County GAA Board are pre-purchase. These can be purchased online via the universe system.

€1,900 Jackpot on Saturday:
There was no winner of the €1,800 jackpot in the Granagh/Ballingarry GAA Club lottery draw on Saturday 14th October in McAuliffe’s Bar, Ballingarry. The numbers drawn were 1, 7, 11 and 30. The lucky dip winners of €20 each were Niamh Power, Johnny Buckley, Stephen Roche and Stephen Kiely. The next draw for a jackpot of €1,900 will take place on Saturday 21st October, venue to be confirmed. Tickets are €2 each or three for €5 and are on sale in local shops, bars and from promoters. You can also play the weekly draw online and the link is available on the club’s Facebook and Twitter which finishes at 6pm every Saturday.

Club Diary:
Wednesday 18th October
Limerick GAA Health and Wellbeing Seminar in the Woodlands House Hotel, Adare at 7.30pm.
Sunday 29th October
County Junior A Hurling Championship Final: Feenagh/Kilmeedy v Mungret/St. Paul’s in Fitzgerald Park, Kilmallock at 1pm.
County Intermediate Hurling Championship Final: Granagh/Ballingarry v Croagh/Kilfinny in Paddy Carroll Park, Ballyagran at 3pm.